What cockerels should i keep and why?

[Kr1spy_dreamz]

problably not a good place to put this but since weer here i wanna ask, what cockerels would make the prettiest (or more productive) chicks? These cockerels were hatched along with a few pullets, we want to keep some and use the rest of the cockerels for meat. My family is very conflicted on which cockerels we should keep, my mom says i should keep the cockerel that breeds the most, but i learned that the younger the rooster, the more productive it is with hens. Im at the the point were i cant decide for myself, so i need your help!

 

[AltonaAcres]

Naked Neck. Hardy, dual-purpose, AMAZING color assortment and great personalities

 

[AltonaAcres]

Your NN boy looked just like mine Great dad, sweet rooster. He had over 20 babies. All were healthy and stunning colors. BEST BREED EVER

 

[NatJ]

what cockerels would make the prettiest (or more productive) chicks? These cockerels were hatched along with a few pullets, we want to keep some and use the rest of the cockerels for meat. My family is very conflicted on which cockerels we should keep, my mom says i should keep the cockerel that breeds the most

"Prettiest" is different for different people. There is a good chance that a cockerel will sire chicks that look somewhat like himself, but you'll have to decide for yourself which ones are pretty or ugly to you. Look at the feather colors, the comb style, whether it's naked neck or not--basically, whatever traits matter to you. My own personal preferences would be the first two, but your preferences matter more than mine in this

For producing eggs, the best would be the one whose mother laid the most eggs, if you know who that was. For producing meat, the best would be the one that is most big and meaty at this time.

Edit to add: if any of them have problems--sickly, or mean to people, or mean to other chickens, or always gets out of the pen, or anything else that causes trouble: definitely do not keep them for breeding! When you have plenty of good choices, there is no point in keeping one that is a nuisance.

 

[Kr1spy_dreamz]

"Prettiest" is different for different people. There is a good chance that a cockerel will sire chicks that look somewhat like himself, but you'll have to decide for yourself which ones are pretty or ugly to you. Look at the feather colors, the comb style, whether it's naked neck or not--basically, whatever traits matter to you. My own personal preferences would be the first two, but your preferences matter more than mine in this

For producing eggs, the best would be the one whose mother laid the most eggs, if you know who that was. For producing meat, the best would be the one that is most big and meaty at this time.

Edit to add: if any of them have problems--sickly, or mean to people, or mean to other chickens, or always gets out of the pen, or anything else that causes trouble: definitely do not keep them for breeding! When you have plenty of good choices, there is no point in keeping one that is a nuisance.

Good to know!

 

[Pullet Press]

I'm thinking the Barred Rock (or is it a Dominique?). His feathering is the best of the bunch, I think.

 

[Kr1spy_dreamz]

I'm thinking the Barred Rock (or is it a Dominique?). His feathering is the best of the bunch, I think.

Its a barred rock for sure

 

[3KillerBs]

Which is the best tempered?

Which is the most vigorous? The one radiating obvious health?

Which one is treating the ladies well?

Which one has the best symmetry and balance of form? Not necessarily show-type conformation, but is most obviously well-built and well-proportioned?

Which one has the best feather quality?

What colors/patterns do you like best?

I *personally* like the looks of the Colombian-patterned fellow with the rose(?) comb in the next to last picture but I think that the barred fellow in the first picture also shows that visually-obvious quality -- assuming no defects hidden by camera angles and assuming no flaws of temperament.

But since I don't care for red chickens and particularly like Colombian patterning, my *personal* assessment could be biased.

 

[Ridgerunner]

what cockerels would make the prettiest chicks

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I agree, it's your criteria an personal preferences that count, not mine. I don't know how pure bred or mixed those boys are. If their parents are of mixed colors or patterns you don't know how those mixed genes will produce. The hens have a lot to say about what the chick swill look like too.

In general a black or white bird tends to have black or white chicks. Of course that depends on what it is mated too. Red and buff roosters tend to have chicks that are colored more like their mothers. Barring is dominant so the offspring tends to be barred, depending if the parent is pure for barring or split. Pea and rose combs are dominant as opposed to single combs. The Naked Neck gene is dominant so they tend to throw at least some NN chicks. Looking at those boys I don't have any confidence that any are purebred, I'd expect their genetics to be mixed so I'd expect their chicks to vary.

or more productive chicks?

Not sure what you mean by productive. Boys don't lay eggs so your best guide is how well did the mother hen lay. If it is meat the general guide is to breed the one you want to eat and eat the ones you don't want to.

Behaviors are harder to judge. Those are cockerels, they are still immature. Behaviors can change as they mature. They are in competition, that can affect how they behave. The more dominant ones restrict the behaviors of the less dominant so you don't get a true reading. My best suggestion for that is to start by removing any whose behaviors you don't like. Narrow it down that way.

my mom says i should keep the cockerel that breeds the most,

Many kids seem to have trouble understanding that there can be huge benefits to pleasing their mother instead of antagonizing her. Think about that a minute. To a certain extent I agree with your Mom anyway. If one is injuring the pullets it's going too far and needs to be removed. But the ones that "breed a lot" as cockerels tend to be the early maturing ones. That generally means they are ready to eat earlier, a good trait if you are after meat. They also tend to be able to win the girls over by force of personality, especially when they and the girls grow up. They are less likely to need to use force to win the girls over, the girls are more willing to accept them as fathers to their future children. They have to get through adolescence and there are always exceptions to anything to do with chickens, but early maturity is one of my goals for meat and behaviors.

 

[BleuSaphir]

I pick keeping the first two or the fourth one.